English

gopher, pocket

Arapaho

nouuciitóó3eihii

Translation of the Arapaho

‘one who blows [dirt] out [of the ground]’

Related words

gopher hole: nouuciitoo3oo

Technical Information

Pocket Gophers are Thomomys and Geomys spp

 

Pocket Gophers and the Arapaho

Arapahos believed that one should avoid camping around gopher holes, as this would cause sickness. Likewise, touching gophers was believed to cause sores. The propensity of gophers to carry disease-bearing fleas makes this idea quite reasonable.